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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. court — of a king
  3. net — after costs
  4. net — for catching
  5. can — a tin
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. vault — a safe
  9. court — of law
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. court — for sport
  16. tube — the underground
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. net — in sport
  22. tube — a container
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. wake — a trail

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com